126 GADWALL. 



the middle of the wing is chestnut brown, the lesser 

 covers and lower half of the greater, velvet black ; 

 the upper half of the greater covers pure white, 

 forming a marked and conspicuous spot, quills dark 

 clove-brown. The female is described as having 

 the under parts pure white, except the lower part 

 of the neck and breast, where the crescented bands 

 are broader, and are of dark brown and pale buff. 

 The upper parts are less distinctly marked. 





The Shovellers have been placed by Swainson as 

 characteristic of the whole family Anatinat, and ex- 

 hibit the greatest known development of the lamel- 

 Ise, which are at the same time of extreme fineness 

 and fit into each other. "We cannot conceive a 

 more beautiful apparatus to retain what is wished ; 

 allowing the watery portion to escape, ic performs 

 the same purpose here which the " Rakers,* do in 

 the gills of the Coregoni and some other genera of 

 fishes. 



